Luggage system

ABSTRACT

A luggage system described herein includes a hard shell body and a soft shell body. The hard shell body includes first and second hard shell body portions. The soft shell body includes first and second soft shell body portions. The first hard shell body portion defines a first hard shell interior storage compartment. The second hard shell body portion defines a second hard shell interior storage compartment. The first soft shell body portion is sized and shaped to fit within and line the first hard shell interior storage compartment. The second soft shell body portion is sized and shaped to fit within and line the second hard shell interior storage compartment. The first and second soft shell body portions are removable, respectively, from the first and second hard shell interior storage compartments to thereby provide a soft shell luggage unit that can be used independent of the hard shell body.

FIELD OF TECHNOLOGY

Embodiments of the present technology generally relate to the field ofluggage that is used for carrying items when traveling.

BACKGROUND

When purchasing luggage, many people have a difficult time decidingbetween hard shell luggage or soft shell luggage, as each type ofluggage has certain benefits over the other.

Hard shell luggage is typically more durable than soft shell luggage,which is important to many people, especially if they travel with alaptop computer, tablet computer, camera equipment, and/or otherexpensive and delicate electronic devices. More generally, hard shellluggage is typically better than soft shell luggage at protecting itemsthat are fragile. Additionally, hard shell luggage is typically morewater resistant than soft shell luggage, making it easier to protectitems from rain, snow, puddles, spills, and the like. Further, hardshell luggage is typically easier to clean than soft shell luggage, assoft shell luggage typically absorbs moisture, smells and stains morereadily than hard shell luggage. Hard shell luggage when locked istypically more difficult to break into than soft shell luggage, becausesoft shell luggage can be relatively easily slashed open with a utilityknife, pocket knife, or the like, even if locked.

Soft shell luggage is typically lighter than hard shell luggage, andthus, is typically easier for a person to pick up, carry and otherwisemaneuver than hard shell luggage. Further, soft shell luggage, becauseit is made of flexible fabric, can typically be squeezed more easilyinto tight spaces within a trunk, closet or overhead travel compartmenton a plane, train or bus. Also, soft shell luggage can typically holdmore items than similarly sized hard shell luggage, because soft luggagecan typically stretch more around its edges.

Some people may purchase both hard shell luggage and soft shell luggageso that, depending on their specific need for a specific traveloccasion, they may use the best luggage for the occasion. However,purchasing both hard shell luggage and soft shell luggage can besignificantly more expensive than purchasing just one type of luggage,potentially doubling the cost. Additionally, if a person owns both hardshell luggage and soft shell luggage that would likely double the amountof storage space required to store the luggage when it is not in use.This is especially a problem for people who live in relatively smallhousing units, e.g., in cities, colleges, or the like.

When purchasing new luggage, people often also have a difficult timedeciding between what features they want included in their luggage,since certain features may be better for business travel, while otherfeatures may be better for leisure travel. Further, people often have adifficult time deciding on what color and/or pattern they want theirluggage to have.

SUMMARY

A luggage system, according to an embodiment of the present technology,includes a hard shell body and a soft shell body. The hard shell bodyincludes first and second hard shell body portions. The soft shell bodyincludes first and second soft shell body portions. The first hard shellbody portion defines a first hard shell interior storage compartment.The second hard shell body portion defines a second hard shell interiorstorage compartment. The first soft shell body portion is sized andshaped to fit within and line the first hard shell interior storagecompartment. The second soft shell body portion is sized and shaped tofit within and line the second hard shell interior storage compartment.The first and second soft shell body portions are removable,respectively, from the first and second hard shell interior storagecompartments to thereby provide a soft shell luggage unit while removedtherefrom.

In accordance with certain embodiments, the first and second hard shellbody portions are pivotable relative to one another to enable the hardshell body to be selectively opened and closed, and the first and secondsoft shell body portions are pivotable relative to one another to enablethe soft shell body to be selectively opened and closed.

In accordance with certain embodiments, a first hinge pivotably connectsthe first hard shell body portion to the second hard shell body portionto thereby enable the hard shell body to be selectively opened andclosed. Further, a second hinge pivotably connects the first soft shellbody portion to the second soft shell body portion to thereby enable thesoft shell body to be selectively opened and closed. At least a portionof the second hinge is located adjacent to at least a portion of thefirst hinge while the first and second soft shell body portions arerespectively within and line the first and second hard shell interiorstorage compartments.

In accordance with certain embodiments, the luggage system also includesone or more fasteners that is/are configured to enable the first andsecond soft shell body portions to be selectively attached to anddetached from the first and second hard shell body portionsrespectively. In certain such embodiments, the same one or morefasteners, which is/are configured to enable the first and second softshell body portions to be selectively attached to and detached from thefirst and second hard shell body portions respectively, is/are alsoconfigured to securely close the soft shell body while the first andsecond soft shell body portions are removed from the first and secondhard shell interior storage compartments respectively. Such fastenerscan include one or more snaps, one or more buttons, one or more segmentsof hook and loop material, one or more zipper closures, and/or one ormore magnetic closures, but are not limited thereto.

In accordance with certain embodiments, the luggage system includes afirst zipper closure that attaches and detaches the first soft shellbody portion from the first hard shell interior storage compartment, anda second zipper closure that attaches and detaches the second soft shellbody portion from the second hard shell interior storage compartment. Incertain such embodiments, a portion of the first zipper closure and aportion of the second zipper closure can be used to securely close thesoft shell body while the first and second soft shell body portions areremoved from the first and second hard shell interior storagecompartments respectively.

In accordance with certain embodiments, the first soft shell bodyportion has a first soft shell exterior and defines a first soft shellinterior storage compartment. Similarly, the second soft shell bodyportion has a second soft shell exterior and defines a second soft shellinterior storage compartment.

In accordance with certain embodiments, the hard shell exteriors of thefirst and second hard shell body portions are made of polycarbonate,polypropylene, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), or aluminum, orany combination thereof.

In accordance with certain embodiments, the soft shell exteriors of thefirst and second soft shell body portions are made of nylon, polyester,or canvas, or any combination thereof.

In accordance with certain embodiments, at least one handle is connectedto at least one of the first or second softshell exteriors. Suchhandle(s) is/are configured to be grasped by a user to enable the userto pickup and maneuver the soft shell body while the soft shell body isbeing used as a soft shell luggage unit.

In accordance with certain embodiments, at least one of the first orsecond hard shell body portions is transparent and thereby enables acolor and/or a pattern on an exterior of at least one of the first orsecond soft shell body portions to be visible while the first and secondsoft shell body portions are respectively within and line the first andsecond hard shell interior storage compartments.

In accordance with certain embodiments, the luggage system also includesa further soft shell body including third and fourth soft shell bodyportions. The third soft shell body portion is sized and shaped to fitwithin and line the first hard shell interior storage compartment, whilethe first soft shell body portion is removed therefrom. The fourth softshell body portion is sized and shaped to fit within and line the secondhard shell interior storage compartment, while the second soft shellbody portion is removed therefrom. There is/are one or more aestheticand/or functional differences between the further soft shell body, whichincludes the third and fourth soft shell body portions, and the softshell body portion, which includes the first and second soft shell bodyportions. The aesthetic and/or functional differences can includedifferences in interior color, exterior color, interior pattern,exterior pattern, number of pockets, shape and location of pockets,number of flaps, shape and location of flaps, number of straps, and/orshape and location of straps, but are not limited thereto. Accordingly,in certain embodiments, an appearance and/or functionality of theluggage system differs depending upon whether the first and second softshell body portions of the soft shell body, or the third and fourth softshell body portions of the further soft shell body, are placedrespectively within and line the first and second hard shell interiorstorage compartments.

In accordance with certain embodiments, a carabiner type handle isconnected to at least one of the first or second hard shell bodyportions. The carabiner type handle is configured to be grasped by auser to enable the user to pickup and maneuver the hard shell body.Additionally, the carabiner type handle is configured to secure one ormore further items to the hard shell body.

A luggage system, according to an embodiment of the present technology,can include a hard shell body, a first soft shell body, and a secondsoft shell body. The hard shell body defines a hard shell interiorstorage compartment. The first soft shell body is sized and shaped tofit within and provide a first liner for the hard shell interior storagecompartment while the first soft shell body is secured therein.Similarly, the second soft shell body is sized and shaped to fit withinand provide a second liner for the hard shell interior storagecompartment while the first soft shell body is secured therein. Only oneof the first or second soft shell bodies is securable within the hardshell interior storage compartment at a time. In such embodiments, oneor more aspects of the first and second soft shell bodies differ fromone another. Additionally, in such embodiments, each of the first andsecond soft shell bodies, while removed from the hard shell interiorstorage compartment of the hard shell body, provides a respective softshell luggage unit that can be used to hold and carry items independentof the hard shell body.

In accordance with certain embodiments, the aspect(s) of the first andsecond soft shell bodies that differ from one another can be a numberpockets, a shape of pockets, a different number, type and/or location offlaps, and/or a different number, type and/or location of straps, butare not limited thereto. Additionally, or alternatively, the aspect(s)of the first and second soft shell bodies that differ from one anothercan include an exterior of the second soft shell body having a differentcolor and/or a different pattern than an exterior of the first softshell body. In accordance with certain embodiments, the hard shell body(or at least a portion thereof) is transparent and thereby enables theexterior, of whichever one of the first or second soft shell bodies issecured within the hard shell interior storage compartment, to bevisible to a user or other observer of the luggage system.

This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in asimplified form that are further described below in the DetailedDescription. This Summary is not intended to identify key features oressential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended tobe used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subjectmatter. The claimed subject matter is not limited to implementationsthat solve any or all disadvantages noted in the Background.Nevertheless, many embodiments described herein solve at least some orall of the disadvantages noted in the Background.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a luggage system, according to anembodiment of the present technology, while a hard shell body of theluggage system is closed.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the luggage system, introduced in FIG.1, while the hard shell body of the luggage system is opened.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the luggage system, also shown in FIGS.1 and 2, while a soft shell body of the luggage system is open andremoved from interior storage compartments defined by the hard shellbody.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the soft shell body of the luggagesystem (in its closed position) completely removed from the hard shellbody and useful as a soft shell luggage unit independent of the hardshell body.

FIGS. 5, 6, and 7 illustrate how different versions of the soft shellbody can have different functional features than one another.

FIG. 8 illustrates details of a carabiner type handle initially shown inand described with reference to FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1-3 will initially be used to describe a luggage system 102,according to an embodiment of the present technology. FIG. 1 is aperspective view of the luggage system 102 while a hard shell body 110of the luggage system 102 is closed. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of theluggage system 102 while the hard shell body 110 of the luggage system102 is opened. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the luggage system 102while a soft shell body 130 of the luggage system 102 is removed from aninterior storage compartment defined by the hard shell body 110.

The hard shell body 110 is shown as including a first hard shell bodyportion 112 and second hard shell body portion 122. The first and secondhard shell body portions 112, 122 are pivotable relative to one anotherto enable the hard shell body 110 to be selectively opened and closed.The first hard shell body portion 112 has a first hard shell exterior114 and defines a first hard shell interior storage compartment 116. Thesecond hard shell body portion 122 has a second hard shell exterior 124and defines a second hard shell interior storage compartment 126. Inaccordance with an embodiment, the interior storage compartment of thehard shell body 110 includes both the first and second hard shellinterior storage compartments 116, 126. In the embodiment shown, volumesof the first and second hard shell interior storage compartments 116,126 are substantially the same (i.e., within +/−10% of one another),however that need not be the case. In other words, in an alternativeembodiment, a volume of one the first and second hard shell interiorstorage compartments 116, 126 can be significantly greater than or lessthan a volume of the other.

In the embodiment shown, the soft shell body 130 includes a first softshell body portion 132 and second soft shell body portion 142. The firstand second soft shell body portions 132, 142 are pivotable relative toone another to enable the soft shell body 130 to be selectively openedand closed. The first soft shell body portion 132 has a first soft shellexterior 134 and defines a first soft shell interior storage compartment136. The second soft shell body portion 142 has a second soft shellexterior 144 and defines a second soft shell interior storagecompartment 146. In accordance with an embodiment, an interior storagecompartment of the soft shell body 130 includes both the first andsecond soft shell interior storage compartments 136, 146. In theembodiment shown, volumes of the first and second soft shell interiorstorage compartments 136, 146 are substantially the same (i.e., within+/−10% of one another), however that need not be the case. In otherwords, in an alternative embodiment, a volume of one the first andsecond soft shell interior storage compartments 136, 146 can besignificantly greater than or less than a volume of the other. As willbe described in additional detail below, one or both of the first andsecond soft shell interior storage compartments 136, 146 can be dividedinto sub-compartments so that items (e.g., clothes, electronics,toiletries, etc.) being stored therein can be segregated from oneanother in different sub-compartments, and/or stored in specificallydesigned sub-compartments, or the like. One or both of the first andsecond soft shell interior storage compartments 136, 146 can alsoinclude one or more pockets, flaps, straps, and/or other functionalphysical features.

The hard shell exteriors 114, 124 of the first and second hard shellbody portions 112, 122 can be made of a hard material that maintains itsform, such as, but not limited to, polycarbonate, polypropylene,acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), aluminum, or a combination of theaforementioned materials. The soft shell exteriors 134, 144 of the firstand second soft shell body portions 132, 142 can be made of a flexiblefabric material, such as, but not limited to nylon, polyester, orcanvas, or a combination thereof. Various different types of nylons canbe used, such as, but not limited to, ballistic nylon, or nylon ripstopCORDURA™ (manufactured by INVISTA, which headquartered in Wichita,Kans., United States), just to name a few. The term nylon, as usedherein, also encompasses nylon blends. Exemplary fabric coatings thatcan be used to increase waterproofing of the flexible fabric material ofthe soft shell exteriors 134, 144 include coatings such aspolyvinylchloride (PVC), polyurethane (PU), polyethylene (PE) andpolypropylene (PP) types of coatings, but are not limited thereto.

In accordance with an embodiment, the first soft shell body portion 132is sized and shaped to fit within and line the first hard shell interiorstorage compartment 116. Similarly, the second soft shell body portion142 is sized and shaped to fit within and line the second hard shellinterior storage compartment 126. Explained another way, the first andsecond soft shell body portions 132, 142 provide liners respectively forthe first and second hard shell body portions 112, 122 while the firstand second soft shell body portions 132 and 142 are respectively placedwithin the first and second hard shell interior storage compartments 116and 126. In order for the first soft shell body portion 132 to be sizedand shaped to fit within and line the first hard shell interior storagecompartment 116, the dimensions of the first soft shell exterior 134 areslightly smaller than the dimensions of the first hard shell interiorstorage compartment 116, and thus, the volume of the first soft shellinterior storage compartment 136 will be slightly less than the volumeof the first hard shell interior storage compartment 116. Similarly, inorder for the second soft shell body portion 142 to be sized and shapedto fit within and line the second hard shell interior storagecompartment 126, the dimensions of the second soft shell exterior 144are slightly smaller than the dimensions of the second hard shellinterior storage compartment 126, and thus, the volume of the secondsoft shell interior storage compartment 146 will be slightly less thanthe volume of the second hard shell interior storage compartment 126.Accordingly, the overall volume of the interior storage compartment ofthe soft shell body 130 will be slightly smaller than the overall of theinterior storage compartment of the hard shell body 110. Nevertheless,the soft shell body 130, while removed from the hard shell body 110, andused as a soft shell luggage unit, may be able to store more items thanthe hard shell body 110. This is because the soft shell body 130 isflexible and stretchable, while the hard shell body 110 is not, which isthe reason that soft shell luggage can typically hold more items thanhard shell luggage of the same dimensions.

As shown in FIG. 3, a hinge 120 pivotably connects the first hard shellbody portion 112 to the second hard shell body portion 122 to therebyenable the hard shell body 110 to be selectively opened or closed. Thehinge 120 can be one continuous hinge, or can be made up of one or morehinge segments that are discontinuous from one another. As shown inFIGS. 2 and 3, a hinge 140 pivotably connects the first soft shell bodyportion 132 to the second soft shell body portion 142 to thereby enablethe soft shell body 130 to be selectively opened or closed. The hinge140 can be one continuous hinge, or can be made up of one or more hingesegments that are discontinuous from one another. In the embodimentshown, while the first and second soft shell body portions 132, 142 areplaced respectively within the first and second hard shell interiorstorage compartments 116, 126, the hinge 140 is located adjacent to thehinge 120, and both hinges 120, 140 can be pivoted in unison.

In accordance with an embodiment, the soft shell body 130 includes azipper closure that enables the soft shell body 130 to be selectivelyopened and closed when the soft shell body 130 is removed from the hardshell body 110 and is useful as a soft shell luggage unit. The zipperclosure includes a first strip of teeth 152 and a second strip of teeth154 and a slide 156. The slide 156 can includes a slider body and a pulltab, as is typical of a slide of a zipper closure. The first strip ofteeth 152 is located about a peripheral rim of the first soft shell bodyportion 132, and the second strip of teeth 154 is located about aperipheral rim of the second soft shell body portion 142. In theembodiment shown, where a peripheral shape of each of the first andsecond soft shell body portions 132, 142 has a generally rectangularshape with rounded corners, the strips of teeth 152, 154 extend about anentirety of three of the four sides of the rectangular shape. The stripsof teeth 152, 154 are also shown as extending along small portions ofthe fourth sides of each rectangular shape, but that need not be thecase. By sliding the slide 156 in a first direction, while the softshell body 130 is removed from the hard shell body 110, the strips ofteeth 152, 154 intermesh with one another causing the soft shell body130 to be securely closed and thereby secure within the interior storagechamber thereof one or more items packed therein. By sliding the slide156 in a second direction, opposite the first direction, while the softshell body 130 is removed from the hard shell body, the strips of teeth152, 154 un-mesh from one another, enabling the soft shell body 130 tobe opened, and thereby enabling items to be removed from and/or placedwithin the interior storage chamber thereof.

In accordance with an embodiment, the same zipper closure that is usedto selectively open and close the soft shell body 130 (while the softshell body 130 is removed from the hard shell body 110 and useful as asoft shell luggage unit) can also used to attach the first and secondsoft shell body portions 132, 142 of the soft shell body 130respectively to the first and second hard shell body portions 112, 122of the hard shell body 110. This is achieved by including a strip ofteeth 153 adjacent to and slightly in from a peripheral rim of the firsthard shell body portion 112, and the strip of teeth 155 adjacent to andslightly in from a peripheral rim of the second hard shell body portion122. While the first soft shell body portion 132 is placed within thefirst hard shell interior storage compartment 116, the slide 156 can beused to intermesh the strip of teeth 152 (included on the first softshell body portion 132) with the strip of teeth 153 (included on thefirst hard shell body portion 112), to thereby securely attach the firstsoft shell body portion 132 within the first hard shell interior storagecompartment 116. Similarly, while the second soft shell body portion 142is placed within the second hard shell interior storage compartment 126,another slide 158 can be used to intermesh the strip of teeth 154(included on the second soft shell body portion 142) with the strip ofteeth 155 (included on the second hard shell body portion 122), tothereby securely attach the second soft shell body portion 142 withinthe second hard shell interior storage compartment 126.

In an embodiment, the strips of teeth 152, 153 and the slide 156 cancollectively provide a first zipper closure that attaches and detachesthe first soft shell body portion 132 to and from the first hard shellbody portion 112. The strips of teeth 154, 155 and the slide 158 cancollectively provide a second zipper closure that attaches and detachesthe second soft shell body portion 142 to and from the second hard shellbody portion 122. The strip of teeth 152 and the strip of teeth 154, andat least one of the slides 156, 158, can be used to securely close thesoft shell body 110 while the first and second soft shell body portionsare detached from the first and second hard shell body portions 112,122. More generally, at least some or a portion of the same one or morefasteners, which is/are configured to enable the first and second softshell body portions 132, 142 to be selectively attached to and detachedfrom the first and second hard shell body portions 112, 122respectively, can also be configured to securely close the soft shellbody 130 while the first and second soft shell body portions 122, 132are detached from the first and second hard shell body portions 112,122.

Alternative types of fasteners, besides zipper closures, can be used toattach the first and second soft shell body portions 132, 142 of thesoft shell body 130 respectively to the first and second hard shell bodyportions 112, 122 of the hard shell body 110. For example, one or moresnaps can be used. For other examples, buttons, magnetic closures, orsegments of hook and loop material can instead be used. Combinations ofthe aforementioned types of fasteners and/or one or more different typesof fasteners can alternatively be used to attach the first and secondsoft shell body portions 132, 142 of the soft shell body 130respectively to the first and second hard shell body portions 112, 122of the hard shell body 110. Thus, it should be appreciated that the oneor more fasteners that is/are used to selectively open and close thesoft shell body 130 (while the soft shell body 130 is removed from thehard shell body 110 and useful as a soft shell luggage unit) can be thesame as, or different than, the one or more fasteners that is/are usedto attach the first and second soft shell body portions 132, 142 of thesoft shell body 130 respectively to the first and second hard shell bodyportions 112, 122 of the hard shell body 110.

In certain embodiments, a gasket or other seal can extend around aperipheral rim of the first hard shell body portion 112 and/or theperipheral rim of the second hard shell body portion 122, so that whenthe hard shell body 110 is closed the gasket or other seal preventswater or other moisture from seeping into the interior storagecompartment of the hard shell body 110, and thereby helps protect theitems stored therein. The hard shell body can be secured in its closedposition using a zipper closure, or one or more alternative types offasteners, such as, but not limited to, one, two, three or more buckles.For example, a pair of buckle portions can be rivetted or otherwiseattached to the first hard shell body portion 112 and a pair of matingbuckle portions can be rivetted or otherwise attached to the second hardshell body portion 122, to thereby enable the hard shell body 110 to beselectively opened and closed. In FIG. 1, a pair of buckles 118 isshown. Additionally, the hard shell body 110 can have a lock 128attached thereto that enables the hard shell body 110 to be locked inits closed position. The lock 128 can be or include a combination lockor a key lock, and may also include a Transportation SecurityAdministration (TSA) key lock that enables TSA agents to unlock the lock128, as required by most airports.

The hard shell body 110 is shown as having four wheels 170 that enableit to be rolled along a surface. In the embodiment shown, two of thewheels 170 extend from a lower portion of the exterior 114 of the firsthard shell body portion 112, and the other two wheels 170 extend from alower portion of the exterior 124 of the second hard shell body portion122. More or less than four wheels 170 can alternatively be included. Inan embodiment, the wheels 170 can be removable and replaceable so thatdifferent types (e.g., hardness, material, bearings, etc.), colors,sizes, designs, etc. of wheels can be attached to the hard shell body110. In other words, the wheels can be a customizable feature of theluggage system 102.

The hard shell body 110 is also shown as having a telescopic handle 180that extends from a side of the hard shell body 110 that is opposite theside from which the wheels 170 extend. In an embodiment, the telescopinghandle 180 is connected to the second hard shell body portion 122, butcan alternatively be connected to the first hard shell body portion 112.

In accordance with an embodiment, the hard shell body 110 also includesa further handle 190, which is a carabiner type handle. The carabinertype handle 190 can be grasped by a user to enable the user to pickupand maneuver the hard shell body 110. The carabiner type handle 190 canalso be used to secure one or more further items (e.g., a purse, ashopping bag, etc.) to the hard shell body 110. Additionally details ofthe carabiner type handle 190 are described below with reference to FIG.8.

The luggage system 102 beneficially provides a person with the benefitsof both hard shell luggage and soft shell luggage. When a person isconcerned with protecting the items with which they are traveling frombreaking and/or moisture, the person can choose to travel with the softshell body 130 positioned within and lining the hard shell body 110.When the person is primarily traveling with soft goods that will beplaced in a small overhead compartment, or the like, the person canchoose to remove the soft shell body 130 from the hard shell body 110and just travel with the soft shell body 130, which when removed fromthe hard shell body 110 can function is soft shell luggage independentfrom the hard shell body 110. The person may also choose to just travelwith the soft shell body 130 if they know they will be traveling whereit is not practical to utilize wheels (e.g., on stairs or a cobble stoneroad) and/or where the person wants to travel light. It would also bepossible for a person to travel to a destination with the soft shellbody 130 positioned within and lining the hard shell body 110, and theiritems packed within the soft shell body 130. Thereafter, if the personpurchases or otherwise obtains additional items while on their trip, theperson can remove the soft shell body 130 from the hard shell body 110and have two luggage items (i.e., a hard shell luggage item, and a softshell luggage items) into which they can pack their items when returningfrom their trip. For the above reasons, the luggage system 102 may alsobe referred to as a 2-in-1 luggage system, or more succinctly as 2-in-1luggage.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the soft shell body 130 in its closedposition completely removed from the hard shell body 110 and useful as asoft shell luggage unit independent of the hard shell body 110. As shownin FIGS. 3 and 4, a handle 160 is attached to a portion of the exterior134 of the first soft shell body portion 132 to assist a person withcarrying the soft shell body 130 on its own. The handle 160 should bedesigned to not obstruct the ability of the first soft shell bodyportion 132 to fit within the first hard shell interior storagecompartment 116. To achieve this, the handle 160 can be made of webbing.In an embodiment, a portion of the webbing of which the handle 160 ismade can be folded and/or covered with a thermoplastic polyurethane(TPU), some other heat shrinkable plastic, or some other covering tomake the handle 160 more comfortable to hold. The handle 160 canalternatively be made of a more rigid material and fit within a recesswithin the soft shell exterior 134 of the first soft shell body portion132. Alternatively, or additionally, a handle can be attached to aportion of the exterior 144 of the second soft shell body portion 132.

Beneficially, when a person is not traveling, the soft shell body 130can be placed within the hard shell body 110, and the entire luggagesystem 102 (that includes both a soft shell luggage item and a hardshell luggage item) can be stored in a closet, attic, under a bed, etc.,in the same amount of space that it takes to store just one similarlysized hard or soft shell piece of luggage. In other words, the luggagesystem 102 essentially provides a person with two pieces of luggage thatcan be stored in the same amount of space typically required to storeone piece of luggage. The luggage system 102 also provides a person withthe benefits of both wheeled luggage and non-wheeled luggage. Theluggage system 102 also enables a person to travel to a destinationusing rugged hard shell luggage (with the soft shell body 130 within andlining the hard shell body 110), and then take short excursions from thedestination using easier to carry and maneuver soft shell luggage (byremoving the soft shell body 130 and just traveling on the shortexcursions using the soft shell body 130).

In accordance with an embodiment, a manufacturer and retailer of theluggage system 102 can offer the hard shell body 110 in two or moredifferent colors (e.g., black, red, pink, etc.). Additionally, oralternatively, the hard shell body 110 can be offered in two or moredifferent patterns (e.g., e.g., stripes, polka dot, floral, etc.). Thehard shell body 110 may also be made available in various differenttypes of material. For example, a polycarbonate version of the hardshell body 110 can be made available, and an aluminum version of thehard shell body 110 can also be made available. A manufacturer andretailer of the luggage system 102 can additionally or alternativelyoffer the soft shell body 130 in two or more different colors, patterns,and/or materials. Additionally, different versions of the soft shellbody 130 may have different functional features. For example, variousdifferent version of the soft shell body 130 can have a different numberof internal pockets and/or sub-compartment, and the shapes and locationsof the pockets and/or sub-compartments can differ from one another.Additionally, or alternatively, the various different versions of thesoft shell body 130 can have a different number of flaps and/or straps,and the shapes and/or locations of the flaps and/or straps can differbetween the different versions. Colors and/or patterns of the interiorsof the and/or exteriors of the different versions of the soft shell body130 can also differ from one another. These are just a few examples ofthe differences between the different versions of the soft shell body.More generally, the hard shell body 110 and/or the soft shell body 130can have or be customizable features of the luggage system 102.

In accordance with an embodiment, the hard material from which the firsthard shell body portion 112 and/or the second hard shell body portion122 can be transparent to thereby enable the color and/or pattern on theexterior(s) 134 and/or 144 of the first soft shell body portion 132and/or the second soft shell body portion 142 to be visible while thefirst and second soft shell body portions 132, 142 are within the firstand second hard shell interior storage compartments 116, 126. Forexample, the first hard shell body portion 112 and/or the second hardshell body portion 122 can be made of a clear or semi-clearpolycarbonate, polypropylene, or ABS.

In accordance with an embodiment, a manufacturer and a retailer of theluggage system 102 can make and sell various different versions of thesoft shell body 130 each of which includes different features. Forexample, there can be a business travel version, a leisure travelversion, and/or an urban travel version, just to name a few possibleversions. The business travel version can include, e.g., pockets and/orother sub-compartments specifically sized and designed to hold andprotect laptop computers and/or tablet computers, and may includepockets and/or other sub-compartments specifically sized and designed tohold pens, business cards, power cords, and/or the like. The leisuretravel version can include sub-compartments specifically designed tostore various different types of clothing items, such as shirts, pants,socks, and/or various different types of accessories, such as, hats,ties, sun glasses, etc. The urban travel version can includesub-compartments specifically designed to store headphones, skateboards,etc. One or more of the versions of the soft shell body 130 can includea sealable wet bag that can be used to store wet bathing suits and/ortowels without getting the other items stored in the interior storagecompartment of the soft shell body wet. A person may choose to purchasethe version of the soft shell body 130 that most suits them. A personmay alternatively choose to purchase more than one version of the softshell body 130 and choose which one they want to place within and usedto line the hard shell body 110 (or use on its own independent of thehard shell body 110) when traveling, depending upon the specific type oftravel, destination, and/or items that the person will be packing.

FIGS. 5, 6, and 7 illustrate how different versions of the soft shellbody 130, labeled 130 a, 130 b, and 130 c, can have different aestheticand/or functional features than one another. For example, the variousdifferent version of the soft shell body can have a different number ofinternal pockets and/or sub-compartments, and the shapes and locationsof the pockets and/or sub-compartments can differ from one another.Additionally, the various different versions of the soft shell body canhave a different number of flaps and/or straps, and the shapes and/orlocations of the flaps and/or straps can differ between the differentversions. Colors and/or patterns of the interiors and/or exteriors ofthe different versions of the soft shell body can also differ from oneanother. These are just a few examples of the differences between thedifferent versions of the soft shell body. By offering differentversions of the soft shell body 130, a person can customize the luggagesystem 102. Further, as noted above, different versions of the hardshell body 110 and/or wheels 170 can also be offered, allowing forfurther customization. The soft shell bodies 130 a, 130 b and 130 cshown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 are just some examples of the differentversions of the soft shell body 130 that can be made and sold.Additional and/or alternative versions of the soft shell body 130 canalso be made and sold.

FIG. 8 will now be used to describe additional details of the carabinertype handle 190, initially discussed above with reference to FIG. 1.Referring to FIG. 8, the carabiner type handle 190 includes a C-shapedbody 802 that is attached to a side of the hard shell body 110 (and morespecifically, to an upper side of one of the first and second hard shellbody portions 112, 122) such that the handle 190 can rest flat againstthe side of the hard shell body 110, and can be swiveled such that it isgenerally perpendicular to the side of the hard shell body 110 whengrasped by a person's hand. The C-shaped body 802 provides the spine andframe (also known as basket) of the carabiner. The carabiner handle 190also includes a gate 804 that is attached to one end of the C-shapedbody 802 by a rivet pin 805. A nose 806 at the other end of the C-shapedbody 802 prevents the gate 804 from opening outward, but allows the gate804 to be pivoted inward (as represented by the dashed arrowed line inFIG. 8) to provide a gate opening so that one or more items (e.g., apurse or other small bag) can be attached via the carabiner type handle190 to the hard shell body 110. The gate 804 of the carabiner handle 190can be spring loaded or otherwise biased to return to a closed positionwith its free end against the nose 806. In other embodiments,alternative or additional types of handles can be attached to the hardshell body portion(s) 112 and/or 122.

As explained in more detail above, various embodiments of the presenttechnology provide a luggage system that provides the benefits of bothhard shell and soft shell luggage, enables customization, and enablesefficient storage of the luggage system.

The description of the present disclosure has been presented forpurposes of illustration and description, but is not intended to beexhaustive or limited to the disclosure in the form disclosed. Manymodifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skillin the art without departing from the scope and spirit of thedisclosure. The aspects of the disclosure herein were chosen anddescribed in order to best explain the principles of the disclosure andthe practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in theart to understand the disclosure with various modifications as aresuited to the particular use contemplated.

The disclosure has been described in conjunction with variousembodiments. However, other variations and modifications to thedisclosed embodiments can be understood and effected from a study of thedrawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims, and such variationsand modifications are to be interpreted as being encompassed by theappended claims. In the claims, the word “comprising” does not excludeother elements or steps, and the indefinite article “a” or “an” does notexclude a plurality.

For purposes of this document, it should be noted that the dimensions ofthe various features depicted in the figures may not necessarily bedrawn to scale.

For purposes of this document, reference in the specification to “anembodiment,” “one embodiment,” “some embodiments,” or “anotherembodiment” may be used to describe different embodiments or the sameembodiment.

For purposes of this document, without additional context, use ofnumerical terms such as a “first” object, a “second” object, and a“third” object may not imply an ordering of objects, but may instead beused for identification purposes to identify different objects.

The foregoing detailed description has been presented for purposes ofillustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or tolimit the subject matter claimed herein to the precise form(s)disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light ofthe above teachings. The described embodiments were chosen in order tobest explain the principles of the disclosed technology and itspractical application to thereby enable others skilled in the art tobest utilize the technology in various embodiments and with variousmodifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It isintended that the scope be defined by the claims appended hereto.

Although the subject matter has been described in language specific tostructural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understoodthat the subject matter defined in the appended claims is notnecessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above.Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed asexample forms of implementing the claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A luggage system, comprising: a hard shell bodyincluding first and second hard shell body portions; a soft shell bodyincluding first and second soft shell body portions; the first hardshell body portion defining a first hard shell interior storagecompartment; the second hard shell body portion defining a second hardshell interior storage compartment; the first soft shell body portionsized and shaped to fit within and line the first hard shell interiorstorage compartment; the second soft shell body portion sized and shapedto fit within and line the second hard shell interior storagecompartment; and the first and second soft shell body portionsremovable, respectively, from the first and second hard shell interiorstorage compartments to thereby provide a soft shell luggage unit whileremoved therefrom.
 2. The luggage system of claim 1, wherein: the firstand second hard shell body portions are pivotable relative to oneanother to enable the hard shell body to be selectively opened andclosed; and the first and second soft shell body portions are pivotablerelative to one another to enable the soft shell body to be selectivelyopened and closed.
 3. The luggage system of claim 2, further comprising:a first hinge that pivotably connects the first hard shell body portionto the second hard shell body portion to thereby enable the hard shellbody to be selectively opened and closed; and a second hinge thatpivotably connects the first soft shell body portion to the second softshell body portion to thereby enable the soft shell body to beselectively opened and closed; wherein at least a portion of the secondhinge is located adjacent to at least a portion of the first hinge whilethe first and second soft shell body portions are respectively withinand line the first and second hard shell interior storage compartments.4. The luggage system of claim 1, further comprising: one or morefasteners configured to enable the first and second soft shell bodyportions to be selectively attached to and detached from the first andsecond hard shell body portions respectively.
 5. The luggage system ofclaim 4, wherein: at least some of, or a portion of, the same one ormore fasteners, which is/are configured to enable the first and secondsoft shell body portions to be selectively attached to and detached fromthe first and second hard shell body portions respectively, is/are alsoconfigured to securely close the soft shell body while the first andsecond soft shell body portions are detached from the first and secondhard shell body portions respectively.
 6. The luggage system of claim 4,wherein the one or more fasteners comprise: one or more snaps; one ormore buttons; one or more segments of hook and loop material; one ormore zipper closures; or one or more magnetic closures.
 7. The luggagesystem of claim 1, wherein: exteriors of the first and second hard shellbody portions are made of a material selected from the group consistingof: polycarbonate; polypropylene; acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS);and aluminum; and exteriors of the first and second soft shell bodyportions are made of a material selected from the group of: nylon;polyester; and canvas.
 8. The luggage system of claim 7, furthercomprising: at least one handle connected to at least one of theexteriors of the first or second softshell body portions; the at leastone handle configured to be grasped by a user to enable the user topickup and maneuver the soft shell body while the soft shell body isbeing used as a soft shell luggage unit.
 9. The luggage system of claim1, wherein: at least one of the first or second hard shell body portionsis transparent and thereby enables at least one of a color or a patternon an exterior of at least one of the first or second soft shell bodyportions to be visible while the first and second soft shell bodyportions are respectively within and line the first and second hardshell interior storage compartments.
 10. The luggage system of claim 1,further comprising: a further soft shell body including third and fourthsoft shell body portions; the third soft shell body portion sized andshaped to fit within and line the first hard shell interior storagecompartment, while the first soft shell body portion is removedtherefrom; the fourth soft shell body portion sized and shaped to fitwithin and line the second hard shell interior storage compartment,while the second soft shell body portion is removed therefrom; andwherein there is/are one or more aesthetic and/or functional differencesbetween the further soft shell body, which includes the third and fourthsoft shell body portions, and the soft shell body portion, whichincludes the first and second soft shell body portions; and wherein theone or more aesthetic and/or functional differences comprise one or moreof: an interior color, an exterior color, an interior pattern, anexterior pattern, a number of sub-compartments, a shape and location ofsub-compartments, a number of pockets, a shape and location of pockets,a number of flaps, a shape and location of flaps, a number of straps, ora shape and location of straps.
 11. The luggage system of claim 10,wherein: at least one of an appearance or functionality of the luggagesystem differs depending upon whether the first and second soft shellbody portions of the soft shell body, or the third and fourth soft shellbody portions of the further soft shell body, are placed respectivelywithin and line the first and second hard shell interior storagecompartments.
 12. The luggage system of claim 1, further comprising: acarabiner type handle including a body and a gate; the body of thecarabiner type handle connected to one of the first or second hard shellbody portions; the gate of the carabiner type handle configured topivoted open to enable at least one further item to be secured to thehard shell body; and the carabiner type handle configured to be graspedby a user, while the gate is closed, to enable the user to pickup andmaneuver the hard shell body.
 13. A luggage system, comprising: a hardshell body including first and second hard shell body portions that arepivotable relative to one another to enable the hard shell body to beselectively opened and closed; a soft shell body including first andsecond soft shell body portions that are pivotable relative to oneanother to enable the soft shell body to be selectively opened andclosed; the first hard shell body portion having a first hard shellexterior and defining a first hard shell interior storage compartment;the second hard shell body portion having a second hard shell exteriorand defining a second hard shell interior storage compartment; the firstsoft shell body portion configured to be selectively placed within andremoved from the first hard shell interior storage compartment; thesecond soft shell body portion configured to be selectively placedwithin and removed from the second hard shell interior storagecompartment; the first and second soft shell body portions providingliners respectively for the first and second hard shell body portionswhile the first and second soft shell body portions are respectivelyplaced within the first and second hard shell interior storagecompartments; and the soft shell body providing a soft shell luggageunit while the first and second soft shell body portions arerespectively removed from the first and second hard shell interiorstorage compartments.
 14. The luggage system of claim 13, furthercomprising: a first hinge that pivotably connects the first hard shellbody portion to the second hard shell body portion to thereby enable thehard shell body to be selectively opened and closed; and a second hingethat pivotably connects the first soft shell body portion to the secondsoft shell body portion to thereby enable the soft shell body to beselectively opened and closed; wherein at least a portion of the secondhinge is located adjacent to and covers at least a portion of the firsthinge while the first and second soft shell body portions are placedrespectively within the first and second hard shell interior storagecompartments and respectively provide liners for the first and secondhard shell body portions.
 15. The luggage system of claim 13, furthercomprising: a first zipper closure that attaches and detaches the firstsoft shell body portion to and from the first hard shell body portion;and a second zipper closure that attaches and detaches the second softshell body portion to and from the second hard shell body portion. 16.The luggage system of claim 15, wherein: a portion of the first zipperclosure and a portion of the second zipper closure can be used tosecurely close the soft shell body while the first and second soft shellbody portions are detached from the first and second hard shell bodyportions respectively.
 17. The luggage system of claim 13, wherein:exteriors of the first and second hard shell body portions comprise amaterial made of at least one of polycarbonate, polypropylene,acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), or aluminum; and exteriors of thefirst and second soft shell body portions comprise a material made of atleast of nylon, polyester, or canvas.
 18. A luggage system, comprising:a hard shell body defining a hard shell interior storage compartment; afirst soft shell body sized and shaped to fit within and provide a firstliner for the hard shell interior storage compartment while the firstsoft shell body is secured therein; and a second soft shell body sizedand shaped to fit within and provide a second liner for the hard shellinterior storage compartment while the first soft shell body is securedtherein; wherein only one of the first or second soft shell bodies issecurable within the hard shell interior storage compartment at a time;wherein one or more aspects of the first and second soft shell bodiesdiffer from one another; and wherein each of the first and second softshell bodies, while removed from the hard shell interior storagecompartment of the hard shell body, provides a respective soft shellluggage unit that can be used to hold and carry items independent of thehard shell body.
 19. The luggage system of claim 18, wherein: the one ormore aspects of the first and second soft shell bodies that differ fromone comprise one or more of: a number of pockets, a shape and locationof pockets, a number of sub-compartments, a shape and location ofsub-compartments, a number of flaps, a shape and location of flaps, anumber of straps, or a shape and location of straps.
 20. The luggagesystem of claim 18, wherein: the one or more aspects of the first andsecond soft shell bodies that differ from one another comprise anexterior of the second soft shell body having at least one of adifferent color or a different pattern than an exterior of the secondsoft shell body.
 21. The luggage system of claim 20, wherein: the hardshell body is transparent and thereby enables the exterior, of whicheverone of the first or second soft shell bodies is secured within the hardshell interior storage compartment, to be visible to a user or otherobserver of the luggage system.